The absence of stimulation of lipolysis by papaverine, a strong inhibitor of phosphodiesterase.

Quantitative studies of the action of theophylline and papaverine were performed in rat epididymal fat pads, both on the lipolytic effect and on the activity of phosphodiesterase, adenylate cyclase and protein kinase. Papaverine, a stronger inhibitor of phosphodiesterase than theophylline, did not produce lipolysis. The maximum lipolytic effect (glycerol release) of theophylline was much higher than that of epinephrine and nearly approached the effect exerted by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. While theophylline potentiated or was without any effect on lipolysis produced by epinephrine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP, papaverine at concentration 10- minus 3 M reduced the effect of both drugs as well as of theophylline by 90 per cent. These concentrations of papaverine also strongly inhibited the activity of adenylate cyclase. Neither papaverine nor theophylline prevented the activation of protein kinase by cyclic AMP. The data suggest that the lack of a lipolytic effect of papaverine migth be caused by a combination of its inhibitory effect on adenylate cyclase and direct inhibition of activation of triglyceride lipase.